


Tupelo Honey

by 2momsmakearight



Category: The X-Files
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, MSR, Season/Series 10, Smut, The X-Files Revival, porch sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-18
Updated: 2016-02-18
Packaged: 2018-05-21 13:37:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6053533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/2momsmakearight/pseuds/2momsmakearight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mulder and Scully learn to speak the same language again. Set after “Babylon”.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tupelo Honey

“Tupelo Honey”  
Rating: M-E  
Author: 2momsmakearight  
Summary: Mulder and Scully learn to speak the same language again. Set after “Babylon”. 

Notes: I was listening to Van Morrison as I wrote this story, so if you want to, check out Spotify and listen to these songs as you read the first half. “Into the Mystic”, “Tupilo Honey,” and “Crazy Love.” 

Tupelo Honey  
\------

“What is it, Mulder?” Scully asked, her hands grasping his as they stood on the gravel driveway.

He looked up in the sky, rotating around, searching for the source of the noise. Trumpets. He heard trumpets. He shook off the silly feeling and laughed at himself for his indulgences, looking down at the amused expression of the woman before him. 

“What?” she prompted, again. 

The corner of his mouth curled into a small smile and he closed his eyes and sighed. “Nothing, Scully,” he said, gently shaking her hands. “Come on, let’s go back,” he said and started walking back up the long driveway towards the unremarkable house they used to share. 

As they rounded the corner and stood next to her car, he stopped once again and turned towards her. He lifted his hands and gently cupped her face. “You know, Scully…I…” he sighed, and looked to the heavens hoping for inspiration. “I’m tired of living on different continents, speaking a different language with you.” He sighed. 

She turned her face into his palm. “I know,” she said quietly. “Me, too.”

He nodded in understanding, closing his eyes and gently biting his bottom lip. He pulled her into his arms, her head resting against his chest and her arms encircling his strong waist. He cupped the back of her head as he had done hundreds of times and breathed in the scent of her. They rocked together, standing on the yellowing grass, her keys nudging his thigh. 

The sunshine was warm and he felt it absorbing into his skin, her dark jacket growing warm under his arms. He closed his eyes and sighed. “Can I invite you to dinner?” he whispered. 

She pulled her face away from his chest, her arms still wrapped around him. He brushed a thumb down her cheek. “It’s a beautiful day, Scully. Stay…we can barbeque or something,” he chuckled. She closed her eyes and snorted through her nose. 

She looked up at him with a bemused expression on her face and her eyebrow arched curiously. “What do you have in mind, Mulder?” she asked, pulling from him and brushing hair from her.   
He smiled sheepishly and cleared his throat, shrugging. 

“Mulder?” she warned. “What are you up to?” she said, smiling at him. She couldn’t help but feel butterflies. He was up to something – she was sure of it. She flashed him a toothy grin and pointed a finger in his chest. “Mulder ? Spill it.” 

He bit his bottom lip and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, walking with her back to the house. “Nothing, Scully. I swear. I just…” he paused. “I just want to spend the beautiful afternoon with my best friend is all.” He turned and smiled at her, lightly running a thumb down her cheek. “I miss you, Scully.” 

She bit her bottom lip and fought the smile on her face. “Just your best friend, Mulder?” she played swinging their entwined hand through the air. 

He cocked his head to the side and fingered the necklace around her neck. “I’ve told you before – you’re never just anything to me, Scully,” he said solemnly. 

She rolled her eyes and looked out at the land, dismissing his response.

“You’re everything to me,” he finished before he pulled his hand from hers and walked up the steps, leaving her standing below, looking at him with amazement, and loving him so much at that moment it was taking everything in her power to not run up and kiss him. 

“I’ll have to go back and get Daggoo, Mulder,” she said. 

He turned back towards her. “That’s fine. Bring him here,” he said squinting into the sun. 

“You sure?” she asked, covering her eyes from the bright light. 

“Yeah, Scully. It’s not like I don’t have a yard for him to pee in…” he laughed. “Plus, you’ve brought him here before. Who do you think named him?”

She smiled and shifted her feet in the grass. “Okay…but it’s gonna be a couple hours by the time I drive there and back,” she said jingling her keys. 

Mulder shrugged. “That’s fine. Gives me time to prepare.” He turned from her and walked back up the steps to the house. “Call me when you’re on your way back, Scully,” he said before he turned and went back in the house, smiling the whole way. 

Scully sighed and shook her head. She got into her car and headed back to her apartment, smiling for a majority of the ride, her stomach tingling with anticipation of where this evening would lead. 

 

\----

When she arrived at her apartment, Daggoo was excited and happy to see her, wagging his tail and jumping on her legs. “Hey, buddy,” she cooed, reaching down to pet him. “We gotta pack up some stuff and go over to Dadd –“ she stopped short, surprised. Where did that come from? She swallowed a lump forming in her throat as she thought of all the times she had spoken to William about Mulder – about Daddy. Her eyes pricked with tears but she shook her head to fight them off. Not tonight, she chastised herself. 

She walked into her bedroom and looked around the empty space. Her bed was freshly made and linens lined perfectly. But it looked cold and barren. She went to her bedside and picked up her mother’s quarter necklace, running it between her fingers. She let it dangle from her fingers and closed her eyes. What she wouldn’t give to know what this quarter represented to her mother. She sighed and dropped it back to her bedside table. She picked up the small frame that sat there, a picture of her and Mulder sitting on the front porch of the house they once shared – the house where Mulder was waiting for her return. 

She was sitting between his legs and they both smiled at the camera. She could remember when it was taken. Thanksgiving 2006 – the first Thanksgiving they hosted in their home. Their home. Scully thumbed the photo and set it back down before turning and heading towards her bathroom. Daggoo followed her into the en suite. 

“What’d you think, Daggoo? I should probably change my clothes, don’t you think?” She walked into her closet and sorted through her clothes, settling on a black tank top and jeans. Pulling them from the hanger, she walked back into her bedroom and laid them on the bed.

She took her clothes off and stood in front of her bed. She walked towards her dresser and opened the drawer pausing over her collection of black bras. A simple black bra would work with her tank, but she smiled to herself (and felt a little naughty) as she reached in the back and pulled out the black lace shelf bra she kept for special occasions. She felt her belly clench with nervous jitters. It had been months – almost a year – since the last time they made love and even then she knew that neither of their hearts was truly in it. They hadn’t been speaking the same language for some time. 

But as she put the new bra and matching panties on she realized that she was ready to learn again – to speak the same language or even make a new one…together. She missed him. She didn’t realize how much she missed him until he wasn’t a part of her daily life anymore. 

She pulled her tank and jeans on and pulled her hair back in a clip, letting some loose strands fall against her face. Her hair felt nice off the back of her neck. The sun was warm outside and she wanted to be comfortable, especially considering their old house didn’t have air conditioning. She sprayed some fresh perfume and slipped her shoes back on before walking to the bed and fastening her mother’s necklace around her neck. Daggoo sat by the door, watching her with curiosity as he patiently waited for her to be done. 

She walked into the living room and gathered his leash and some toys and put some food in a container. She glanced around the apartment making sure everything was in its place before she picked up her handbag and led Daggoo out the door. 

 

\-----

 

Mulder had just finished adjusting the wild flowers on the coffee table when he heard her car making the way up the gravel driveway. He felt his stomach bottom out and he huffed, wiping his suddenly sweaty hands on his pants. After she left, Mulder had showered and changed his shirt, settling for a white shirt and jeans, a look he knew she appreciated. He went to the stereo and pressed play, letting the sounds of Van Morrison radiate the house. The windows were open, letting the warm air permeate the empty home, filling it with warmth that had been missing for months. He looked around the house, making sure everything looked okay and took a deep breath. 

He chided himself for feeling so nervous to see her but spending these last few months together back at the office had helped their relationship in ways he never knew it could. He was seeing her in a whole new light and, if he admitted it to himself, falling in love with her all over again. 

He walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge, pulling out a bottle of Scully’s favorite wine. They had discovered it while wine tasting at a local winery a few years ago and he recently became a member of the winery club just so he could get discounted bottles of her wine on the off-chance she stopped by. He would never tell her that he had almost a dozen bottles of this wine stored… He grabbed the cork screw and started opening the cold bottle when he heard the screen door creak open and the sound of small dog nails scurrying towards him.

“Mulder?” she called from the front door. 

“In the kitchen, Scully,” he called back, his back still towards her. He filled a wine glass for her and then bent down to pet the excited dog clawing at his pant leg. He opened the cupboard and pulled a bag of dog treats from the shelf and gave Daggoo one. He energetically took the treat and walked away to the corner of the kitchen where he could eat his treat in peace. 

Scully walked up behind him, smiling. She wrapped her arms around him, her front facing his back. She closed her eyes and let her face lean against his strong back. God, he smelled good. Clean, fresh…Mulder. 

She licked her lips. 

Mulder placed his hand over hers and leaned back into her. “That was sweet, Mulder,” she said. He shrugged. “Well, I figured you’d bring him here so I got some treats just to be safe.” She smiled against his back and let her arms go.

“It was still sweet,” she said. He turned towards her and he sucked in a breath. 

She looked beautiful. She, too, had changed and looked comfortable in her new digs. She had kicked off her shoes and her bare feet made their height difference even more noticeable. He reached his fingers out and trailed a piece of stray hair away from her forehead, letting it linger down her cheek a little longer than necessary. Her neck looked delicate and feminine with her hair pulled back and he noticed a faint blush rising on her chest when his hand touched her cheek. 

He cleared his throat and shuffled his feet, his pants suddenly feeling tighter than they did moments ago. She ducked her head, hiding the slight blush that had crept up her neck. She couldn’t believe after all these years she still had this affect on him. 

He turned back around and picked up the glass of wine he had poured for her, handing the chilled glass to her. She took it, smiling. He walked around her to the fridge and gabbed a beer, twisting the cap off with his strong hands. They clinked their assorted glass together, their eyes locked as they took their first swig. 

Scully’s eyes closed and she moaned. “Mmm, good wine, Mulder. What kind is it?” 

She walked over to the counter and lifted the bottle for her examination. She read the label and a small gasp escaped her lips.

“Vintage Hills, Mulder?” she turned to him, her eyes wide, her lip trying to suppress a smile.   
He shrugged. 

“How…?” she shook her head, her voice trailing off. “Mulder, we went to this winery once like five years ago…It’s my favorite.” She ran her fingers over the sweating bottle of wine. 

“I know,” he breathed, shoving his free hand in his pocket, suddenly a little sheepish under her scrutiny. 

She turned back to face him fully. “You remembered that, Mulder?” she asked quietly, shocked.

He simply blinked at her and shook his head dismissively. “I remember everything about you, Scully.” 

She gasped quickly turned back around, hoping Mulder couldn’t see the sudden emotion flooding her eyes. 

He cleared his throat and took a swig of his beer, eyeing her back. 

“You never cease to amaze me, Mulder,” she whispered, turning her head slightly over her shoulder to him.

The kitchen was thick with emotion neither was sure they could name, and Mulder quickly found something to change the tone. 

He set his beer on the counter and walked over to the kitchen table, picking up some fresh vegetables from the garden. He walked them over to the sink and placed them in the basin. 

Scully took a deep breath and composed herself, shaking her head to will the emotion away.

“Need any help,” she asked, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. She went and stood next to him, letting her hands clutch the white porcelain. 

He smiled and shook his head. “No. I got it, Scully,” he said softly. He turned on the water and let it wash over the zucchinis and potatoes. “You just drink your wine and relax,” he said, smiling at her and nudging her left shoulder with his right elbow. Her lip curled to a small smile and she picked up her glass to take a sip. 

She turned her back to the sink folding her arms in front of her, looking around. “Place looks great, Mulder,” she said, letting her eyes roam, feeling a pang of nostalgia suddenly. 

He lifted his head and looked over his shoulder, shrugging. “Yeah, amazing what this place can look like when I actually pick up after myself,” he joked. 

She set her glass on the counter and placed her hands on the tiles behind her, lifted her bottom to sit on top, her back against the upper cabinets. Mulder sucked in a breath and gave her a sidewise glance remembering the last time she had done that…and what had ensued after, not only on the counter, but the kitchen floor. He cleared his throat and shifted his feet restlessly, scrubbing the potatoes a little more aggressively than he probably should.

She sipped her wine, watching his hands as they swished in the water, letting her legs dangle and her red toes sway against the bottom cabinets. She watched Daggoo happily gnawing at his treat, curled up in the corner of the kitchen. 

They were quiet, both listening to the music play throughout the house. Scully sipped her wine and sighed. She could feel the sun on her skin through the open kitchen window. The music paused, switching to the next song and Scully bit her lip, smiling as “Into the Mystic” began to play. 

She closed her eyes and let her head fall back against the cabinet. “I forgot how much I liked this song,” she said, smiling. 

Mulder watched her. She looked so relaxed – so happy. He turned off the water and reached for a towel to dry his hands. 

“Dance with me, Scully,” he said, holding his hand out to help her from the counter. She couldn’t help but remember when he did this the first time. She set her wine down and let him help her from the counter. He pulled her into his arms and they swayed to the music. Her shoeless feet made it interesting but neither seemed to notice – or care. She rested her face against his chest and he laid his chin on the top of her head.   
They swayed gently, listening to the words. Mulder knew the crescendo was approaching and he wanted to try something. 

“And when that fog horn blows  
I will be coming home  
And when the fog horn blows  
I want to hear it, I don't have to fear it  
And I want to rock your gypsy soul…” 

Mulder twirled Scully from him, making her laugh and pulled her back to him, holding her to his body as he bent her towards the kitchen floor. She threw her head back and laughed. He laughed seeing her laugh. Scully couldn’t remember the last time she had laughed like this with Mulder. He pulled her back to his arms and they resumed their swaying. Scully wiped her eyes as tears of laugher formed. 

“Oh my God, Mulder…” she said, still fighting the laughter from her voice. 

She pulled from him before the song finished and went to the counter to take a swig from her glass. “Where’d you learn that?” she smiled. He went back to the sink and lifted the vegetables from the basin, placing them on the counter. “I’ve twirled you before, Scully,” he said, his eyes twinkling. She braced her hands on the counter once more and lifted herself to sit. 

“Yeah, you have, but you’ve never dipped me like that,” she added, filling her glass with more wine. 

He shrugged and suddenly turned his body to look around the kitchen. Her eyebrows furrowed. “Whatcha looking for?” she asked. 

He opened some cabinets and looked in drawers. “I had the cutting board out but now I can’t remember where I put it,” he said. 

Scully shifted on the counter to look around her and felt something move under bottom. She suddenly realized where the cutting board was. She licked her lips and swallowed thickly. “Mulder,” she smiled, suddenly feeling a little flirty. “I think I found it.” 

He turned towards her. “Oh, good, where?”

She kept her gaze focused on his eyes and leaned to the side, lifting only half her bottom from the counter, exposing the missing board. 

Mulder couldn’t fight the small groan that escaped his lips. He breathed slowly through his nose and approached her. “It appears you’re sitting on it, Scully,” he said, his hands braced on either side of her thighs. She could feel the heat on his body on her legs and she lifted one leg to toy playfully with his pant leg.

“Well…” she said, playfully, an eyebrow arched, still leaning to the side, lifting one cheek off the counter. 

Mulder laughed what sounded more like a growl. Two could play at this game, he thought. 

He abruptly closed the gap between them and wrapped one arm around her waist, making Scully gasp as he lifted her small frame from the counter, sweeping the board out from under her. 

When her bottom made contact with the counter she looked into his eyes. They were dark and his breathing was slightly faster. She could almost feel her own pupils dilating as she looked at him. She could see the muscle of his jaw twitching and she felt her cheeks redden, her own pulse quickening as his arm remained wrapped around her waist, their faces inches apart. Their breaths mingled and she could smell his familiar masculine scent. It was overwhelming. Her belly was on fire and she felt her sex swell with anticipation. 

She watched as his eyes darted between her mouth and her eyes and she licked her lips unconsciously. She saw one of his eye lids flutter and his stance falter for a millisecond, his knees weak. She couldn’t take it anymore. 

She closed the distance between them and leaned towards his mouth, covering his lips with her own. She whimpered on contact and brought her hand up to touch his cheek. He immediately deepened the kiss, slipping his tongue between her teeth and dueling with her own. His arm tightened around her waist and he dropped the cutting board into the sink so he could run his other hand up her thigh. He squeezed her thigh and she wrapped it around the back of his legs, her heel pulling him closer. 

Mulder moaned as her teeth scraped along his bottom lip and he took her face in his hands, controlling her head as he passionately devoured her lips in a kiss long overdue. He could almost cry just from the sensation of kissing her again. How could he have let himself go a day without it? 

“Tupelo Honey” started playing and Mulder smiled into her mouth as he realized that’s exactly what she tasted like. She was as sweet as Tupelo honey…just like the song says. 

“She's as sweet as Tupelo honey  
She's an angel of the first degree  
She's as sweet as Tupelo honey  
Just like honey, baby, from the bee”

Scully could feel her arousal grow as his mouth moved over hers, his tongue never ceasing to leave her tingly and breathless. She pulled him closer to her and wrapped her arms around his neck, running her fingers through his hair and down his back. She could feel herself losing control and she wanted nothing more than to rip his shirt off and make him fuck her right here against the counter. She smiled when she remembered that it wouldn’t be the first time it would happen. She ground her hips against his waist and whimpered against his mouth. He could smell her sweet feminine scent and when she opened her legs to wrap them around his waist he caught a scent of her arousal. His knees almost gave out as his neurons fired back with the remembrance of her scent. This had to stop now!

“Scully,” he croaked, as he pulled away panting. They let their foreheads rest together, both breathless from their kiss. She opened her eyes and watched as he fought for control. Every the gentleman, she thought. She smirked, running her fingers through his hair. 

“Let’s make dinner, Mulder,” she said. He pulled back and the look of relief on his face made her heart swell. She could see he was scared. It had been so long – emotions still raw.   
She jumped down from the counter and walked to the fridge, pulling the steaks out. She turned back to him.

“I’ll start the grill,” she offered, taking the plate of marinating steaks with her. Mulder just nodded, standing in the middle of the kitchen, his mouth ajar. He swallowed thickly and breathed slowly through his nose. Jesus. He couldn’t describe what that kiss felt like. It felt like kissing her for the first time all over again, but it also felt like…felt like coming home. He willed his emotions to stay at bay. He was just going to enjoy spending the evening with her. 

His pants were definitely uncomfortably tight and he pulled the crotch to the side to alleviate some of the pressure. He was grateful she had left – the evidence of what she did to him still painfully evident. He took a deep breath and began to chop the vegetables, placing them on the grilling pan. He sprinkled some seasoning on top and threw the bits in the trash. 

He wiped off the counter and picked up the tray and braced his arms on the counter as the lyrics of the new song washed over him. He had never really listened to them before but after everything they had been through, he couldn’t help but feel that this song was theirs. 

“She give me love, love, love, love, crazy love  
She give me love, love, love, love, crazy love

She's got a fine sense of humor when I'm feeling low down  
And when I come to her when the sun goes down  
Take away my trouble, take away my grief  
Take away my heartache, in the night like a thief”

He smiled and he picked up the plate, his beer and her bottle of wine and walked through the house towards the back patio where he knew she was waiting for him. He paused just before the sliding door and watched her. She was sitting on the dark-stained deck in a long red padded deck chair, basking in the sunshine. He could see the grill was turned on, and the steaks sat patiently on the side. One leg was bent and she rested her wine glass to the side of the chair. 

The music died out as he opened the slider and she looked over at him, covering her forehead to protect her eyes from the sun, smiling. He had never seen her look so beautiful. So radiant. Her hair glittered in the sunshine, the gentle strands framing her face. Her face was relaxed and she looked younger than she had in years…happy, even.   
As he closed the slider behind him, he heard the music play:

“She give me love, love, love, love, crazy love  
She give me love, love, love, love, crazy love.”

He couldn’t remember a more perfect moment as he stood there watching her. Clearly, his watching went too long because Scully’s expression changed to one of worry. 

“What’s wrong, Mulder?” she asked, sitting up slightly. 

“Huh?” he shook his head. “Oh, nothing. Just watching you,” he smiled, walking towards her to hand her the bottle of wine. She took the bottle with a shy smile of her own.  
Over twenty years with this man and he could still reduce her to a shy school girl. She sat in her chair and watched him grill, his back to her. She took in his features and noted with approval how much healthier he looked. His ass still looked great in a pair of jeans and she sucked in a breath as she sipped her wine. That kiss has awoken something in her she hadn’t felt for months. What the hell was happening? She shook her head and swallowed the wine, resting her head back against the chair and closed her eyes. Whatever it was didn’t matter. She was just going to let it happen. It had never felt this good between them - so many good “honeymoon” years stolen from them as they ran from the authorities and when they finally settled down, his depression began to take over. They deserved this – this fresh start. 

\----

After dinner was served and dishes cleaned, Scully said she needed to take Daggoo for a walk. 

“Just let him in the backyard, Scully,” Mulder suggested, grabbing a beer from the fridge. 

“Mulder, it’s dark. He’s coyote bait,” she said, fastening his leash to his collar. “He can’t go outside by himself. It’ll only take a couple of minutes,” she said and walked to the door, stepping into her shoes.

Mulder grabbed his flashlight. “Hang on. If you’re going, I’m going.” 

Scully scoffed. “Seriously? I’m probably not going to go halfway down the driveway. Really. Mulder. Just stay. Sit on the porch. You can watch from there.” She patted his chest and opened the door. 

He stepped out on the porch with her and watched her walk down the steps. When she reached the driveway, he turned her head back to him. “Be back in five!” she called. 

He shuffled his feet on the porch and put his hands in his pockets. For as warm as it was that day, it was a cool evening. When he couldn’t see them any longer, he pulled a chair forward and sat on the porch, lifting his long legs to rest on the railing.

Like a smoker would keep a pack of cigarettes next to their favorite chair, Mulder reached down and grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds from the small table next to him. He was just tall enough to see over the railing and he kept his eyes peeled for Scully’s return. 

The sounds of the night filled his ears, the music in the living room having long ended during dinner. Crickets chirped and a toad groaned nearby… and the sound of the sunflower husks hitting the ground outside as he powerfully expelled them from his mouth. He heard the footsteps on the gravel approaching and he waved at her. She walked up the steps and opened the door, walking into the house with Daggoo. Mulder looked over his shoulder, confused as to why she wouldn’t join him there. 

But she returned only seconds later, holding a fresh glass of wine and his long-forgotten beer, still cold, thankfully. She handed him his beer and pulled a chair to sit next to him. 

They both stared into the night, feeling the cool breeze. Scully shivered and she rubbed her arms. “Cold?” he asked, spitting a husk over the railing. She smirked and followed the direction of the husk, her chin dimpling and the corners of her mouth dipping in amusement. 

“A little. But the wine helps…” 

He nodded and put another seed in his mouth. 

“Do you ever see how far you can shoot those things?” she asked. He smiled and chuckled. 

“Sometimes. But as far as this goes,” he waved his hand indicating the porch, “it has more to do with my desire to not sweep the porch than anything else,” he said, lightly chuckling at himself.

She reached down and grabbed her own handful. He turned his head to her, his eyes surprised. “How far do you think I can do it?” she asked, popping a shell in her mouth. 

He just stared at her, shocked. In all the years he had been with Scully he had never seen her eat sunflower seeds. Incredulously, he turned in his chair and looked at her. “Do you even know how to eat sunflower seeds, Scully?” 

She turned her head indignantly. “Please Mulder. It can’t be that hard. How far you think I can spit one?” she said, gesturing to the open land in front of them. 

He crossed his arms across his chest. “Really? Okay, Scully, you’re on. I bet you, that you can’t even open the shell without using your fingers. Let’s start with that.” 

Scully scoffed and lifted her eye brows in challenge. “What do I get if you’re wrong?” She cocked her head to the side. 

He popped a shell in his mouth and let it roll around his tongue. Scully eyes were drawn to the sight of his tongue moving inside his mouth and she felt her clit respond with aching need, remembering exactly what that tongue was capable of. It had been a long time since she felt jealous of sunflower seeds. With precision, he spit the husk over the railing. 

“What do you want your prize to be, Scully?” he countered, popping another seed in his mouth, and looking at her sideways. 

She licked her lips and sighed. “Uhm…if I can open the seed and spit out the husk without using my fingers, I want…” she drummed her fingers on her thigh thinking of a response. “I want…a foot rub,” she answered definitively, seemingly proud of herself for thinking of her prize. 

Mulder nodded and spit a husk into the air, cursing as it landed on the railing. His foot kicked it off into the planter. “Okay. Deal.” 

He leaned forward and his eyes narrowed suggestively. “And what do I get if I’m right?”

She pursed her lips and looked to the side. Mulder could practically see the wheels turning in her head. “How about I come over and cook whatever you want, wearing whatever you want?” she said huskily. A smile played on her lips coyly. She arched an eye brow and tucked her tongue inside her cheek. 

Mulder visibly blanched, staring at her with shocked eyes, his mouth agape. Wearing anything he wanted? The vision of Scully in expensive lingerie bending over the stove as she pulled a casserole from the oven was something that would be, forever, imprinted on his brain. Oh, how he hoped she couldn’t do it. 

“You’re making the face, Mulder,” she smiled, crossing her legs. He blinked rapidly and sat back.

“O…okay, Scully…Go for it, G-woman,” he said, before turning his chair towards hers and taking a sip of beer. She took one final swig of her wine, the alcohol making her feel warm and free spirited. She popped a seed in her mouth and he watched, leaning forward, his forearms resting on his knees, smirking at her. His eyes twinkled and his tongue worked on the seed in his mouth. 

She closed her eyes in concentration as she worked the seed over her mouth. She turned it sideways and cracked it, using her tongue to peel it apart. But. Fuck. How was she supposed to separate the husk from the seed? Mulder could sense her discomfort and lifted his chin to watch her closely. She looked adorable. He didn’t’ care if she was 28, 36 or 51, Dana Scully would forever be adorable in his eyes.

Her hands fingered her jeans as she fought to not reach up and remove the husk from her mouth. The salt from the seed was making her lips tingle, reminiscent of when she used to swim in the ocean and the salt water would dry her lips. 

After what seemed like forever, Scully suddenly was able to place the seed on the side of her mouth while bringing the husks to her lips. She stuck them between her teeth and smiled at Mulder, eyes large and excited. She spit them into her hand and showed him.

“See!!” she exclaimed, practically bouncing in her chair. “Told you!” She held the husks out for his approval. He took them, inspected the evidence and threw them over the railing, nodding.

“Okay, Scully. You win. You win.” His frown of disappointment was evident but Scully brushed it off with another sip of wine. “Don’t worry, Mulder – you play your cards right, I might still come over and cook wearing whatever you want,” she teased, the glass pressed her to lips as her eyes peered over the rim. 

He laughed. “Yeah! Right! I’m still waiting on that sleeping bag offer, Scully,” he said, amused. 

She shrugged. “Never say never, Mulder.” 

He looked at her pointedly, both their heads cocked to the side as they regarded each other. This is how they communicated throughout the years – this wordless communication where their eyes danced together conveying through them what their mouths could not. 

He leaned forward and grabbed her chair pulling it close to his, their knees touching. Scully leaned back in her chair and smiled. He watched her watching him and he could swear there were times where he could literally see hearts dancing in her eyes, the way she looked at him. He took her leg and she held her breath, feeling his hand on her calf, and brought it to his lap. She lifted the other one and it joined its twin on his other leg. He sat back in his chair and removed one shoe and then the other before wrapping his warm hands around her small foot. Scully couldn’t help the groan that escaped as he squeezed the ball of her foot. “Ohhhhh God, Mulder.” She sighed heavily. This was heaven, she thought. 

“Keep going?” he said softly, giving Scully one his patented Mulder smiles that always made her stomach flip. She raised her eyebrows, questioning him. “Keep going. Shoot one. I wanna see how far those little lungs can expel the husks,” he said, still rubbing her foot, his teeth shining in the porch light. Between his smile, the heat coming from his body and his hands rubbing delicious circles into her sole, she could feel her body grow with anticipation and needful lust. 

She grabbed another seed and faced Mulder, their eyes locked together. He sucked in a breath as he watched her tongue leave her mouth to gather the seed. She cocked her head to the side and continued to watch him watching her as her tongue poked her cheek every couple moments, her lips pursed and jaw moving as she cracked and appropriately shelled the seed.

Much to Mulder’s dismay, she finished quicker than the first time, which was probably for the best because he could feel himself hardening as he watched her tongue move inside her mouth. He wondered if she would taste like sunflower seeds if he kissed her again. He licked his lips unconsciously. 

She sat forward slightly and lifted her chin to look over the railing before taking a deep breath and spitting the seed with force from her mouth. They both watched as it arched over the railing, landing somewhere in the earth below. She sat back in the chair, raising her arms in victory as she chewed the small seed. She rested her cheek on her hand while her elbow was propped on the arm rest of the chair. They stared at each other as his hands worked over her feet. Scully let her eyes close to the comforting sensation of his hands on her body. 

“This is nice, Mulder,” she said, looking at him through hooded lids. “I always liked warm evenings on the porch with you,” she smiled. 

He smiled and nodded, his hands pinching her heel, kneading the flesh. “This is nice, Scully. It’s been a nice day…the best one in a long time, actually.” 

She regarded his statement and sat for awhile pondering. 

“Maybe…maybe we could do this more often? Or… I don’t know…go out…?” she suggested almost sheepishly, her brows raised, chin dimpled. He could tell she was trying to play it coy but he knew that this was an important admission. 

“Like a date, Scully?” he questioned, amused. 

Her mouth formed the perfect “o” as she looked at the roof trying to brush off his statement. “Well…I mean…it doesn’t have to be a date…I mean…” she stammered. 

“How about Thursday, after work?” he said, cutting her off. 

Her smile was radiant and her eyes lit up. He couldn’t help but smile back. 

“Thursday?” 

“Yeah,” he shrugged. “You’re right Scully. We never really dated. This will be fun. I’ll text ya,” he said in his best impression of a Texas drawl and she laughed. She rolled her eyes at his new found fascination with all things electronic, trying to hold onto the younger part of himself that could have surely used a camera phone ‘back in the day’. 

His hands continued to work over her foot, but has he switched to her other foot, the movement caused her to nudge his ever present erection, perfectly hidden the whole time behind her legs. He jerked his hips up and couldn’t hold back the low groan that escaped. He felt his face creep with a blush. He was unsure why he felt a little embarrassed. She had seen his erections, hidden and obvious, for the last twenty years. 

Why the jitteriness now?

Scully saw his reaction to her foot and she gasped softly. She felt her belly contract and desire pooled at her center. She pulled her foot from his grasp and felt her breath quicken, noticing that his was also increasing. She felt her clit throbbing and her heaving chest was leaving her nipples aching, desperate to be touched. Her heart was in her throat and she bit her bottom lip. Mulder faintly growled and adjusted in his chair, shifting his legs and pulling at his jeans. “Scu—“ he started.

Before she could think too much about the ramifications of her actions, she swiftly leaned forward in her chair, bracing herself on his arm rests as she hurled her body against his. His hands cupped her hips and he leaned back as her mouth descended upon his. 

She tasted like wine and sunflower seeds. Exactly how he knew she would taste. She straddled his waist as best she could in the narrow chair, mostly putting her weight on him as her calves sat on top of his thighs, unable to straddle him the way she wanted to. 

Her weight was nominal and Mulder didn’t care. He pulled her hips down and encircled his arms around her as their mouths danced together. Their moans escaped into the night air. She cupped his neck and wove her fingers through the short hairs on his neck. His mouth left hers and trailed hot, wet kisses down her jaw and neck. Scully sighed into his ear, making them both shiver as his teeth nibbled on the delicate skin of her neck. 

He brought one of his hands to her chest and caressed her breast through her shirt. Scully whimpered into his hair, her position making her several inches taller. She could feel the heat coming from the top of his head and sweat was forming on the back of his neck. She bent her head down and licked at the saltiness forming there. Mulder growled into her breast and bit down on her hard nipple aching through her bra and shirt. Scully pulled back and lifted her tank above her head. Mulder’s hands ran up her sides as her arms were above her head and before she could even lower them, his mouth had buried itself between her breasts. 

“Where the hell did this bra come from, Scully? Christ,” he groaned into a growl. She smiled, panting as she held his head to her breasts. Her eyes rolled back in her head as she felt his tongue sweeping along her sternum. She kissed the top of his head, gripping his hair tightly, before cupping his hot face and bringing his lips back to hers in a scorching kiss. 

Scully’s hips bucked when she felt his hand grip her ass and squeeze. She groaned and brought one hand down to sweep along his chest, her fingernails grazing his sensitive nipple making him shudder. He gasped into her mouth and she sucked his bottom lip between her teeth, gently tugging. 

Her hand continued its journey and settled between his legs where she palmed his erection against his left hip. She huffed hot hair out of her mouth and let her fingers expertly apply pressure and friction to his arousal. His hips jerked into her hand and she smiled. “Pretty impressive for a man of your age, Mulder,” she said smiling, her voice deep and husky. 

He growled and brought his hand up to cup her lace-covered breast and massaging it with just the right amount of pressure to cause a moan to escape from her lips. 

“You’re all the Viagra I need, Scully,” he said before he forcefully pulled down the cup to her bra and latched his mouth over her taught nipple, sucking hard. She sucked air between her teeth and ground her palm into his cock. “Jesus, Mulder,” she breathed. He groaned in response.

He brought his mouth from one breast to the other, using his free hand to undo the button to her jeans. Her hips titled towards him as his hand worked its way into her pants. Scully gasped as she felt his hand graze the inside of her panties. He turned his face up and sucked on the tendons of her neck, softly biting her clavicle. 

He cursed a moan and buried his face into her neck when his fingers dipped into her core and he felt how wet she was. Scully cupped his ears and held his face to her neck as she began to ride his fingers, her hips undulating and her breaths coming in quickly. She whimpered against his ear and moaned when his palm grazed her swollen clit. She could feel the sweat dripping from his temples and he was panting. 

Scully lifted her head and pushed him back against the chair. “Mulder,” she breathed. Her eyes were closed. The feeling was delicious. She licked her lips and continued rocking her hips against his hand. Mulder sat back and watched her, his eyes dark with desire and mouth slack. 

Abruptly, she shook her head and grabbed his wrist. “No. Not here. Come on,” she said breathlessly as she got off his lap. He winced as circulation returned to his legs and stood up. Scully almost felt sorry for him. She bent over and grabbed her tank top and adjusted her bra to cover her exposed tits. 

His erection looked painful and he whimpered as he began to walk. “Careful, Mulder. I’m gonna need that,” she said over her shoulder as she started to climb the stairs. He paused at the bottom and looked up at her. His faculties were returning, albeit slowly. Clarity. He looked up at her as she turned and smiled down at him. 

“Scully?” he questioned. “What are we doing?” he asked, using one hand to grip the railing of the stairs. She had many responses she could have given him but when she saw the vulnerability in his eyes, her smile dropped and she stepped down, just one step separating them, almost leveling their height. She reached out and brushed a strand of hair from his forehead.

She bent forward and placed a chaste, soft kiss on his lips. When she pulled back, his lips were still pursed and his eyes were still closed. She cupped his cheek. “We’re gonna speak our language, Mulder,” she said gently as she took his hand. 

He opened his eyes and her heart swelled at the vision of this man in front of her. Tears pricked behind her lids. “We’re gonna open our hearts to each other,” she added. He gently gripped her wrist and licked his lips, never breaking eye contact with her. “I’ve never stopped loving you, Dana,” he said, his voice cracked with emotion. She nodded silently, not trusting her own voice, and leaned forward to kiss his lips again.   
When she reached the bedroom, she stood by the bed and looked around. Nothing had changed in the room. It was exactly the same as the day she left it, her book that she forgot still sitting on the nightstand. It was as if she had never left. She swallowed thickly.

Mulder wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her shoulder. “Welcome home,” he whispered. 

They fell to the bed in a tangle of limbs, remembering a language that hadn’t been used, but never really forgotten. They made love like it was the first time, discovering their bodies as they had shortly before William was conceived with all the same intensity and passion. 

They kissed the tears from each other’s faces as the memories of their love for one another resurfaced. She cupped his face and locked his gaze as he moved above her, willing her soul to forgive herself for ever leaving this man – her soul mate. And they clung to each other at the precipice of release, clinging to one another, searing the dialect of their sighs, moans and gasps into their hearts. His body touched hers with reverence and he read her like Braille, using his fingers to speak a language his voice could not. His tears spoke words to her that he could never say and her lips healing his tortured soul as she communicated back. Her tongue was like prose on his skin. 

Her mouth danced over his body and her sounds of pleasure spoke of wonderment and love even if a single word was never spoken. 

 

\----

 

They both lay on their stomachs, their heads facing each other, only separated by their opposite hands as he swept his left thumb over her right fingers. Her damp hair was splayed along the pillow and their sweat only beginning to dry. The dusky purple sheet was pulled to their waists. 

“You know…” he began, his voice gruff. “I’ve been thinking a lot about us, Scully,” he said, meeting her eyes as he absentmindedly rubbed her hand. 

Her mouth curled into a faint smile and she gently shifted under the covers, bringing her right knee up, partially exposing her right breast to his gaze. He reached out and delicately ran his finger down the swell of her breast, his eyes intently focused on the trail of goose bumps he left in his wake. 

She arched an eyebrow questioningly. 

“I think for so long we were like Babel,” he said. He licked his lips and closed his eyes briefly. “The Hebrew scripture refers to Babel as ‘confusion’…no one could understand each other anymore. Theologians and anthropologists have argued that the store of Babylon, the Tower of Babel, as it were, was actually the beginning of civilization – the beginning of different cultures, not necessarily a bad thing, born from the hubris of man, but, in fact, contributing to the conception of the world as we know it,” he finished. 

She lightly shook her head at him, and fought rolling her eyes as she listened to his exposition. She licked her lips and narrowed her eyes to focus on his words. “And how does that relate to us, Mulder?” she said skeptically. 

He took a deep breath and reached up to her face, lightly tracing his forefinger along her cheek, unable to stop himself from touching her. That was always the language of his love. Touch. And she never denied him that expression whether it was holding hands in the yard, touching her face or placing his hand on the small of her back. He had been making love to her for years before she ever invited him to her bed.   
“After you left,” his voice dropped and his brows furrowed. “After you left, and especially after we started working at the FBI again, I started really thinking about the two of us. Our lives together…the past twenty three years…the FBI, the X-Files…William…everything,” he said. 

She fought the tears from welling as he mentioned their son’s name. “And?” she whispered, unable to trust her voice any louder. 

“And, especially after this case, I came to realize that we had been speaking different languages for a long time, Scully. Maybe not speaking different language, but we certainly didn’t understand one another,” he said tenderly stroking her back. She nodded and sighed. 

They were quiet for many moments, both lost in their own thoughts. Mulder smiled briefly and resumed his gentle strokes up and down her spine. Scully squirmed into his ministrations, enjoying the feel of his hand on her body, relishing in it.

After awhile, he broke the silence. “Do you remember when William was conceived?” he said, looking into her eyes, his own glassy with unshed emotion, but a warm smile on his lips. 

Her eyes widened at his question and she felt her lip tremble. “Yes,” she breathed. “I’ll always remember,” she added. 

He brought his thumb and wiped a tear from her eye. “I know it wasn’t our first time together that night, but I remember thinking how perfect it felt,” he sighed, his eyes closing as he remembered. She bit her lip and watched his memory dancing over his features. “I mean, every time with you was meaningful, Scully, and certainly our first time was something I will never forget, but there was something about that night that has forever stuck in my memory.” 

“What’s that?” she whispered, curious. 

He took a deep breath and brought his head up on his elbow, turning to his side, his other hand still rubbing her back. “I remember thinking that we didn’t need words to communicate.” He paused and smiled. “Fast learners, you and me,” he said jokingly, leaning over to kiss her nose. 

“Mulder,” she warned, pushing him back. 

“Okay, sorry…We didn’t need words, Scully. We were speaking the same language. And even though we were still learning more about each other every time we made love, we were so deeply connected it was like it didn’t matter. It was instinctual, Scully, because you and I have always been able to communicate with or without words. “

She sighed and closed her eyes. “Not always, Mulder,” she said quietly, almost mumbling. 

“Yeah,” he sighed. “Which is why I’m saying this.” He lifted her chin with his finger. She looked at him, fresh tears brimming. He was always amazed at her eye’s capacity to hold tears the way hers did.   
She sniffed and looked at him. 

“We never had to chance to really absorb our new language, Scully.” She looked at him questioningly.   
“What’d you mean?” She was confused. 

“I mean,” he said, licking his lips and rolling onto his back. “That we had only just started this new part of our relationship when I was taken.” He closed his eyes as painful memories washed over him. Scully reached her hand out and touched his chest, hoping her touch would ground him. He brought his hand to hers and threaded their fingers together. 

“I was taken, you were pregnant…I died…I came back…I got fired…then the baby –“ his voice caught and Scully bit her lip to keep from sobbing. “William was born,” his voice was gravelly with emotion. He swallowed thickly and she watched as a single tear escaped down his temple. 

“All of that happened in a matter of months, Scully. We had perfected this language of ours over the course of seven years and in a matter of nine or ten months it all went to hell.” He sighed loudly, frustrated.  
“You don’t really think that..?” she said worriedly, turning on her side to face him. 

He turned his head to look at her, his eyes wide and serious. “I do, Scully.” 

He turned his gaze back to the ceiling. “Dr. Kiegan has been helpful in this regard – in helping me with my ability to remember without reliving,” he said, squeezing her hand. “And it was through the course of that treatment that I really realized everything that had happened…everything that I put you through. I don’t fault you for leaving, Scully,” he said, turning his head to face her. 

She looked at him solemnly. “You didn’t put me through anything, Mulder. This was…is…the life I chose. And everything that happened to me, happened to you too. I don’t fault you for the mindset you found yourself in. I’m only surprised it took as long as it did,” she chuckled at the last word. He smiled at her and brought their bound hands to his lips, kissing her knuckles. 

He chuckled and took a deep breath, savoring the feel of Scully lying beside him, like she had for many years before. Scully scooted closer and laid her head on his chest, her free hand toying with the sparse hairs found there and on his stomach, his muscles gently rippling under her touch. She laid and listened to his heart beating, something she never took for granted after she had to bury and mourn him fifteen years prior.  
She thought about their life together after William was born and how difficult it was – scary, mostly. She thought of the injustice of their beginning, robbed of a proper start at a life together. They never had the chance to have lazy Sunday mornings, reading the newspaper, or date nights, or evenings spent making love without a care in the world. Instead Sunday mornings were spent in random cities across the country, eating in greasy spoon diners, their heads downcast, afraid of being recognized. There weren’t date nights but instead evenings spent lying together in dirty motel rooms, counting the water stains on the ceiling, or listening to neighbors fuck loudly against the wall. And when they made love, it wasn’t slow. Their bodies didn’t communicate the same language they had before William was born. The language their bodies spoke now was of fear and desperation – afraid of being pulled and separated from one another. Afraid of feeling the aching emotion of loss if they slowed down and dared to look into their souls. Afraid of what they would find.

Mulder broke the silence. “Do you ever wish we could do it all over again, Scully?” 

She wiped a tear from the inside of her nose. “I think,” she sniffed, “that our life together has certainly been impossible at times. I think that for so many years we were so focused on not losing the other person that we forgot to simply be.” She felt him place a kiss on the top of her head. “I don’t think any one of us is at fault for what happened to us a year ago…or fifteen years ago. I think we experienced immense loss,” her voiced cracked, “and we just couldn’t talk about it,” her voice trailed to a whisper.

“I was hurting. You were hurting. We couldn’t grieve together when we were just trying to stay alive. It was too much,” she added, her voice heavy and message strong. She wiped her eye again.   
He said, “And by the time we settled down and moved here it felt like it was too late. Too late and still too raw. I know I blame myself. I should have never left, Scully. But I know you blame yourself, too.” She nodded against his chest. He could feel her tears on his skin, his own trailing down his face into the pillow. They clutched at each other, craving the comfort of their shared embrace.

When he spoke, his voice was raw and words clipped with choked sobs. “We have to forgive ourselves, Scully,” he sobbed. She raised her head from his chest and looked at him with eyes full of concern. He took his free hand to cover his face as he choked back a sob, biting his lip, tears streaming. She brought her face closer to his and nuzzled his cheek with her nose, her own tears freely falling. She cradled his face against her cheek and wiped the tears from his eyes. 

He clutched to her and they cried in each other’s embrace, emotions escaping from them too long pent up, never communicated. “I’m so sorry, Scully,” he cried. She shook her head and kissed his forehead. “I’m sorry, too,” she whispered back, rocking them gently back and forth. “I love you, Mulder,” she breathed into his hair. 

He took his hand from his face, his eyes wet, swollen and red. She took her own hand and wiped the moisture away, kissing his face lovingly. She brought her lips down and tenderly kissed his, neither one deepening the kiss further than soft lips moving over one another. 

“Look at me,” she gently urged. He sighed, his breath shaky. He opened his eyes and stared into her blue depths. “I have always loved you Fox Mulder,” she smiled then cocked her head and pursed her lips. “Well, maybe not always,” she laughed. 

He chuckled and wiped his nose before clearing his throat. He smiled back up at her, reaching up to push an errant strand of hair behind her ear. “But I know that I loved you long before I even realized it. And even after I realized it, I would never have imagined that we would be here two decades later.” 

She placed a kiss on his nose and leaned back up, resting on her elbow. She ran her finger along his jaw and through the stubble on his cheek. He stared at her face as she studied him. “For what it’s worth, Mulder,” she said softly. “You’re never just anything to me, either. You’re the love of my life,” she added, pulling her attention from his jaw to his eyes. 

She saw such love in his hazel orbs. He leaned to her and cupped her face as he adoringly kissed her mouth. She pulled away and smiled at him, rubbing her thumb across his lips. They lay facing each other, their bodies only inches apart. He nuzzled her face and kissed her forehead. She tilted her face up to meet his and nipped at his chin. He growled faintly. He rested his forehead against hers and rubbed her back, their breaths mingling. 

“Mulder,” she began quietly. “I don’t think it matters that we forgot how to speak the same language…or understand our language, or whatever,” she waved her hand dismissively in between them.  
He sighed and spoke softly, “What matters is that we’re speaking it now.” 

He continued, “Scully, we battled our way through the masses of other languages, stronger languages, more desirable and easier languages, back to the one we speak. Isn’t that the most important part?” he asked.  
She thought for a moment, letting his words flow over her. “Yes, Fox, it is. For better or for worse, right?” she smiled at him and continued. “I’m here now and my heart is open to you,” she said, a sweet smile playing on her lips. 

“And I’m listening,” he said as he raised his head from the pillow, capturing her lips on his own, rolling on top of her. They wordlessly spoke to each other, letting their mouths, fingers, lips and tongue speak in a poetry perfected over the years and spoken only by them. 

\---  
The End.


End file.
